Folding bed



(No Model.) 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

11.1). ENNES. FOLDING BBD. No. 465,616. Patented 1360.22, 1891.

R1I U U l s il No Model.) 2 sheens--sneet 2.

J. D. ENNES. FOLDING BBD.

No. 465,616. Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

1n: uname versn cu., maremma., wsmuaron, n. c.

iintrnn Sterns Parleur Ottica,

JOHN D. ENNES, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,616, dated December22, 1891.

Application tile-d August 22, 1888. Serial No. 283,469. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

3c it known that l, JOHN D. ENNES, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolkand State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

The improved bed, which constitutes the present invention, belongs tothat class of folding` 'beds wherein the bed is folded up to a verticalposition when it is not in use, and in which vertical position it maybeconcealed by suitable drapery hung upon the framework to which the bedis hinged. The present invention has for its object the improvement andsimplification of the construction of beds of this class, and isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideView of the bed and its supporting-frame, the bed being shown in itslowered position. Fig. 2 is a front View of the bed when folded up. Fig.3 is a rear view of the bed when folded up. FigsA and 5 are views of thebed in detail.

The vertical supportingframe of the bed is made entirely'of metallictubing, preferably gas-pipe, united by gas-pipe fittings, and the bedproper, with the exception of the side and end rails, which are of wood,is also made of such tubing. The bottom of the supporting-frame iscomposed of two horizontal side tubes A A, connected by T-fittings awith a connecting cross-tube B. Each tube A at. its front end enters aT-fitting h, and at its rear end enters a three-way fitting c of thecharacter shown in detail in Fig. 5. Journaled in the fittings h c arecasters O O, which permit the movement of the frame about the room.

Screwed into the fitting h on each side is a short vertical tube D,which screws into a U-fitting ci, into the other side of which screws acurved tube F. This tube is curved at its lower end through a quadrant,and its upper end extends vertically to approximately half the height ofthe frame, where it enters a T- fitting e. The two fittings c e oneither side are connected by a horizontal tube F, which is bent back, sothat it extends across the frame at the rear thereof, so as not tointerfere with the folding of the bed. This tube F is further braced andsupported by beingconnected with the fittings c in the rear ends of thetubes A.

Extending crosswise of the frame from each fitting c is a shorthorizontal tube Gr, which enters a U-fitting f, from which extends avertical tube I-I, which is connected with the bent tube F by aT-fitting g.

Connected to the center of the bent tube F by a T-fitting h is avertical tube H', which extends to the top of the frame, where it isconnected to the center of a crosswise-extending horizontal tube I by aT-fitting i. This tube I tits at each end'intoathree-way fitting 7c,such as is shown in detail in Fig. 5, and each fitting 7c is connectedto one of the fittings c by a bent tube K. These bent tubes K supportthe upper horizontal tube at its ends and brace and render firm andstrong the entire frame.

Connected at the opposite ends to the fittings 7c 7c is a horizontalcurved canopy-tube L, which extends far enough front to stand in frontof any part of the bed when folded.

Upon the tube L are strung curtain-rings 1 l, to which may be attachedcurtains or other drapery to conceal the bed when notin use. There beingno obstruction on the tube L, all of the rings may be slid to the bachportions thereof, so that the curtains may be pushed back entirely outof the way when it is desired to lower the bed.

The bed proper comprises a rectangular wooden frame consisting of siderails 2 2 and end rails 3 3. This rectangular frame is pivotallyconnected with and supported by the Vertical supporting-frame in thefollowing manner. is pivotally connected by a tubular leg M, whichscrews at its lower end into a T-itting Z, which turns freely on thefront cross-tube B of the vertical supporting-frame. Also, on each sideof the rectangular frame a short horizontal tube N is swiveled to theside rail 2 and fits at its outer en d into a T-tting m,

which embraces the quadrantal portion of the tube E of thesupporting-frame. This fitting fm, is reamed out so as to form arunner,which slides easily ou the tube F when the bed is lifted. The bedwhen lifted turns onthe upper end of the leg-tubes M, the axis on whichthe bed turns being ,thus the center of the On each side the rectangularf rame IOO quadrantal portions of the tubes The bed when lowered issupported at its 'forward end by the tubular legs O O, which arejournaled at their upper ends to the inner sides of the side rails 2 2.The lower ends of these legs enter T-iittings n, which are connected bya cross-tube P. Journaled to the center of this tube P by a T-tting o,turning freely on the tube P, is a tube Q, which at its opposite end isjournaled to the center of the tube B by a T-itting p, which turnsfreely on the tube B. This tube Q, thus connected, not only holds thefront legs firmly in position when the bed is lowered, but it alsoautomatically holds the front legs when the bed is raised.

Beds of this character, especially when furnished with mattresses andother bedclothes, offer a considerable weight to be raised.

The present invention comprises means for assisting in lifting the bed.To this end a torsional coiled spring 4 is used. This coiled spring isattached at one end at 5 directly to one of the side rails 2; but at theopposite end it is attached to an eye 6, the shank of which passesthrough the side wall 2 and enters a U-iitting T on the upper end of thetubular legs M on that side. The shank of this eye 6 constitutes theaxis on which the bed turns when raised or lowered, so thatthe spring atthis point is not affected by the movement of the bed. On the oppositeend, however, the spring is attached to the bedframe, so that when thebed is raised or lowered the spring, being arranged along the` axis onwhich the bed turns, is turned. The spring is so coiled that thismovement will cause the spring to be coiled more tightly when the bed islowered, th us giving the spring tension, which will assist in liftingthe bed.

R is a tube of a length nearly equal to the width of thesupporting-frame, which is journaled at one end by a T-Iitting s to oneof the upper Vertical side tubes K, on which the fitting s turns freely,as shownin Fig. 4. This tube is adapted to be swung out over the bed,when the same is lowered, in order to support a mosquito-canopy. Themosquito-canopy will besupported by a pulley 7, supported by a T-littingt on the free end of the swingingcanopy tube R. The swinging canopy-tubeR is strengthened at its inner end by asmall rod 8 within it, as shownin Fig. 4.

The folding bed thus formed is composed entirely of metallic tubing,giving it the maximum strength with the minimum weight. [t is cheaplyand quickly made, all the parts being of materials which are standardgoods on the market, and it can be readily taken apart fortransportation, and being preferably made of ordinary gas piping andtittin gs, any person familiar with putting togetler such articles willreadily understand the details in the construction of thisilnproved bed.When in use, there are no concealed and inclosed corners to harborvermin, but the Whole frame is easily accessible for the purpose ofcleaning.

I claim as my inventionl. The supporting-frame havingcurved tubes E oneither side, in combination with the bed connected with saidsupportingframe by legs M, said bed turning upon the upper ends of saidlegs and said bed having tubular runners fm, which slide on the curvedportions of said tube E, substantially as set forth.

2. The vertical snpportingframe for a folding bed, composed ot' thecombination of the side horizontal tubes A A, connected by thecross-tube B, the vertical tubes D, connected to said tubes A A, thecurved vertically-extending tubes E, connected to said tubes D, therearwardly-curved horizontal tube F, connected at opposite ends to saidtubes E, the short horizontal cross-tubes G G, connected to the saidtubes A A at the rear of the frame, the vertical tubes H H, connectingsaid tubes G G to said tube F in the rear of the frame, the verticaltube H at the rear of the frame, connected to the said tube F, thecross-tube l at the top and rear of the frame, connected to said tubeH', and the tubes K, connected at their lower ends to said tubes E andbent backward and connected at their upper ends to said tube I,substantially as set forth.

3. The supporting-frame comprising horizontal lower cross-tube B andcurved vertically-extending tubes E E, in combination with thebed-frame, the rear legs M M, swiveled at their upper ends to thebed-frame and at their lower ends to said cross-tube B, runners m m,swiveled to the bedframe and sliding on the curved portions of the tubesE E, the front legs O O, swiveled to the bedframe, the cross-tube P,connected to said legs O 0, and the tube Q, journaled at opposite endsto the tube P, and the tube B, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof l have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. Jonn D. ENNEs.

Vitnesses:

JOHN NEELY, A. A. HAUKS.

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